Ladle



LADLE Filed Dec. 3, 1956 Patented July 20, 1937 Treadwell Construction Company,

Midland,

Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 3, 1936, Serial No. 114,041

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to ladles of the open type such as are commonly used in and around steel plants for the transportation of molten materials, and particularly to stopper rigs 5 for such ladies.

The type of ladle with which the improved stopper rig contemplated by the present invention is particularly useful embodies a port in the bottom thereof through which themolten contents of the ladle may be discharged. The improved stopper rig comprises, in addition to a stopper for controlling the flow of molten material through this discharge port, stopper operating mechanism the major portions of which are located without the ladle and are there provided with manually operable means for manipulating the stopper for the purpose of controlling the ow of molten material, and, in addition, includes devices for effecting precise adjustment of the stopper relatively to that surface of the discharge port or nozzle which comprises the stopper seat when the stopper is in port closing position. The

desirability of using stopper manipulating mechanism which has the capacity for adjustment from time to time is obvious, it being highly desirable to prevent leakage of molten material around the stopper at all times, and the high temperatures to which the ladle and the stopper rigging are subjected being likely to cause distortion of the stopper supporting and manipulating means. In accordance with the present invention a simple,.rugged and durable stopper rig is provided which nevertheless permits all necessary manipulation and adjustment of the stopper to be readily effected.

One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is an illustration of portion of a ladle, having attached thereto the novel and improved stopper rig;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

The -ladle shell is indicated at lll and the refractory lining at Il. At the bottom of the ladle both shell and lining are apertured for the reception of a tubular plug. I2, the central port i3 of which comprises the discharge port for molten materials, this duct or port flaring upwardly at its upper end to provide a seating surface I4 for a stopper. The stopper, which is indicated at I5, is fabricated of refractory material and is shaped in such manner that, when positioned as shown in Figure 1, it comprises a complete closure for the discharge port i3.

Stopper l5 is secured to the lower end of stopper rod l5, which is of metal and protected by a series of cylindrical refractory sleeves it at all points along its length which are likely to come into Contact with molten material. Rod i6 is suspended at its upper end from anvarm or orossbar il extending over the upper edge of the ladle, the securing means preferably including locking nuts i3, one positioned above and one positioned below the crossbar il and both having threaded engagement with the upper end of rod l5 in order that vertical adjustment of rod i6 relatively to crossbar Il may be effected if desired. At its opposite end the crossbar I1 is rigidly secured to the upper end oi a rod i9, b-y means of a key Zii, the rod i9 being disposed in a generally vertical direction and extending through, and slidably tting within, a longitudinally apertured guide member or barrel 2l. Rod I9 is of non-circular cross-section and the recess in guide 2l is of similar cross-section, as most clearly seen in Figure 2, so that angular movement of the guide 2l in a horizontal plane will necessarily effect the same angular movement in rod IS and hence angular movement of crossbar il and swinging of the stopper rod i@ and stopper l5 along an arcuate path for the purpose of adjustment.

The guide 2i is in turn supported upon a bracket 22 which bracket is secured to and projects laterally from the ladle shell or a spreader or bandl 23 which may encircle the ladle shell. Bracket 22 includes two opposed arcuate sections 22 I which comprise supporting guides for an arcuate slide 23, formed in one piece and bridging the space between the bracket portions v22. Slide 23 is provided along its diametrically opposed edges with arcuate downwardly extending flanges 2li, portions 24 of which extend inwardly and under the outwardly extending arcuate iianges 222 of the spaced bracket portions 22. The slide 23 is therefore locked to the bracket against movement axially of the guide 2i, but may slide upon the arcuate portions '22 of the bracket in a plane Which is generally transverse to the axis of the ladle.

Spaced bearings mounted upon and rigid with slide 23 are indicated at 25 and a short shaft 26 is shown to have its ends supported in these bearings. This shaft is engaged intermediate bearings 25 by an arm 2l of guide 2l, the guide being, by the means just described, mounted upon the slide 23, but in such manner that its posi- 55 loY tion may be angularly adjusted in a vertical plane about theV axis of the transversely extending shaft 26. For effecting such angular adjustment hand wheel 3B is provided, this hand wheel being rigidly fixed upon shaft 3I, the opposite Vends of which are threaded in reverse .directions and have threaded engagement with the lower endof the Vguide 2I and a member 32 secured to the ladle shell, respectively. V'In order to permit free play at thisV connection to accommodate the Vdescribed tilting and rotating movements of the i rig, the threaded engagement at both ends of the shaftV 3| are preferably eiected through the Yintermediary of an extensible and rotatable uni- Y. the supporting bracket in a plane substantially Vnormal to the ladle axis and it is'hence by means The rod I9 is moved vertically in the: guide'V 2l for Vthe purpose of raising Vor lowering` the stopper by means Vof a manually operable lever 35 pivotally connected atv3l to the lower end of rod I9 and fulcrumed at Y38, the pivot 38 being supported by means of a diagonal suspending v ing the guide ZI, rod'IS and crossbar Il.

Vlink or rod 39 the upper end of which is attached suitable means, that portion remote from the ladle being readily removable without dislodgement of the portion secured to the slide 23, for the purpose` of replacement of rod I9 should it become Warped.

By means of the rig illustrated, the stopper l5 may not only be readily raised and lowered Vby an operator positioned without the ladle, but may be readily adjusted in position with respect tothe seatingrsurface I4, by manipulation of the adjusting worm 34, which may likewise be conveniently rotated. The arcuate slide 23 is rigidly supported by the bracket 22 but may be readily moved thereon for the purpose of revolv- Slide 23 is locked in any position to which it may be adjusted by the worm 34. It will be perceived that the rod I9 is disposed substantially axially of the arcuateV slide supporting portions 22 of Y.

the bracket 22 and that the arcuateslide 23 partially encircles the guide and is approximately concentric with the vertical axis of rod I9. The

Weight of the stopper, bar I'I, Arod. I9, guiderZI rangement has the advantage of compactness as well as that of great strength and ruggedness.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

` and other parts is transmitted to slide 23 midway between the bracket arms 22 and the arl. VA combination with a ladle having a stoppercontrolled discharge opening therein, of a bracket secured to said ladle and having a partly circular guiding portion thereon, and a stopper rig carried by the bracket and supporting a stopper for application to andremoval Vfrom V bracketfor rotative movement about an axisY generally parallel to the ladle axis, an elongated stopper supporting rod extending substantially parallel to the ladle axis, and means mounting said rod o-n saidmember for tilting movement about an axis which is' transverse to said rod, said guiding portion of the bracket and said member both being open laterally to provide an aperture for the lateral insertion and removal of saidrod.

2. The combination with a ladle `having a stopper-controlled discharge opening, of a ladle and provided With a guiding portion thereon having the form of an arc of Va circle and disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the ladle, and a stopper rig carior application to and removal fromthe'opening bracket secured to the exterior side wall of. said in said ladle, said stopper rig comprising a member also having the form of a circular arc, `said member being mounted upon said arcuate guiding portion of the supporting bracket for rotative movement thereon about an axis generally Vparallel to the axis of the ladle, an elongated stopper supporting rod Vextending substantially parallel to the ladle axis, the axis of said rod substantially coinciding with the center of'curvature of said member and guiding portion, an

pintle for tilting movement in a substantiallyV vertical plane,'said center of curvature of the member and of the guiding portion of Said bracket being on the side thereof which is remote from said ladle, whereby said member and guiding portion open outwardly from the ladle so that said rod and its Vguide may be removed laterally therefrom.Y

WILLIAM W. WALLACE.

ried by the bracket and supporting a stopperf-S,5 Y 

